The industry veteran galvanized the Orange County (Fla.) Public Schools transportation department and implemented improvements that led to increased efficiency, multi-million-dollar savings and high staff morale.

Mark Swackhamer, who has been a driving force in implementing alternative fuels, GPS and efficient-driving training at Houston Independent School District, moves to Humble Independent School District to become assistant director of transportation.

Orange County Public Schools' combined initiative of anti-idling, biodiesel and fuel-efficient buses resulted in an overall reduction of 151,788 gallons of diesel fuel this past year. The economic benefit was a cost avoidance of $538,847 in fuel costs to the district, and the environmental benefit was a reduction of 1,503 metric tons of carbon matter output.

Medford Township Public Schools continually seeks out opportunities to grow its sustainability practices, reduce transportation costs and generate revenue, which have been accomplished through such initiatives as a solar project, shared bus service and running vehicles on biodiesel. From the solar project alone, the district has realized savings of $300,000 annually.

The Houston Independent School District wins the National Association of Fleet Administrators Excellence in Public Fleet Sustainability award for 2013. The district is recognized for its use of alternative fuels and partnership with the University of Houston to test a school bus filter that will convert smog-producing pollutants emitted from engines into water and nitrogen gas.

The fiscal deal passed by Congress this week includes provisions that benefit fleets that use alternative fuels. The bill, expected to be signed into law by President Obama, extends tax credits for such fuels as propane, compressed natural gas and biodiesel — all of which power many school buses.

The school bus contractor currently uses the platform on 900 buses and plans to use it on 1,300 additional buses by the end of this year. The technology is used to track vehicle mileage, speed, idling and stops, and some routes also utilize Zonar’s electronic vehicle inspection report and ZPass for tracking students.

The Cleaner and Greener Fuels app from Leonardo Academy is available for download free of charge from the iTunes app store, the Google Play store and the Cleaner and Greener website. It provides routes to stations on a series of interactive maps for such fuels as compressed natural gas, biodiesel, propane and electricity.

From operating alternative-fueled vehicles to installing pollution-control equipment on buses to reducing idling, pupil transportation operations are doing their part to provide a healthy and safe ride to and from school for students. Here, we provide details on these and other environmentally friendly practices at school districts and contractors throughout the country.

Buster Biofuels partners with Legoland California, the San Diego Padres and other entities to collect their grease and oil, recycling it into biodiesel to power San Dieguito Union High School District buses. The district is currently powering two buses with a B20 biodiesel blend and plans to eventually run its entire fleet on the fuel.

Medford Township Public Schools was reportedly the first in New Jersey to run a school bus on B20 biodiesel. Joe Biluck, who was fleet manager at the time, tells SBF that the bus has never had any major engine work — it’s only being taken out of service because of the state’s mandatory retirement age.

The Ford Motor Co. Fund and the Georgia Institute of Technology partner for the “Green Eco School Bus,” a project focused on converting an existing school bus into a hydraulic hybrid that runs on recycled biofuel. Atlanta Public Schools donated the 16-passenger unit, and officials say installation is nearly complete.

California State Assemblyman Jared Huffman presents his March Sustainable North Bay Award to West County Transportation Agency Executive Director Michael Rea for the agency’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It operates 44 vehicles on compressed natural gas, and all of its diesel exhaust systems have been retrofitted with the highest level particulate trap.

The facility will support 317 school buses powered by the alternative fuel. It is the latest effort from the district to operate environmentally-friendly buses; it is also replacing older buses with hybrid units and buses powered by biodiesel and propane.

Thinking about operating buses powered by these fuels? Take into consideration the possible financial benefits, the space necessary for refueling infrastructure and what type of dispensing equipment suits the fleet, as well as employee safety and training.

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